Termessos

Long ago an impenetrable mountain-top city that could not even be taken by Alexander the Great, Termessos is one of Turkey's most attractive and well-preserved ruins. Imagine being seated among thousands in the tiered seats of the theater as the spectacle of the mountains provides a fitting backdrop for human performance. Imagine the cisterns and stone sarcophagi shedding their overgrowth, Hadrian's procession as it paraded through the triumphal arch, and temples filled with prayer instead of cleaved in half by time and nature. These things are much easier to imagine here than at many of the ruins that spottily rear up along the Mediterranean Sea, largely because so much of the city remains in some level of preservation.

Located 1,665 m (5,463 feet) high in Güllük Dağı National Park, you'll need to drive an hour or so along the D650/D350 from Antalya before arriving at the main gates. Once there, pay about $2 USD per person and then head for the parking area (expect a short drive), from which the necropolis and some of the city walls are accessible. There are a few obvious trails from here to the majority of the ruins.

Be aware that you won't find scaffolding or archaeologists with dust brushes here, which really contributes to a sense of Indiana Jones-style adventure as you explore tombs, the agora (main square), ancient boulevards, and even a lookout tower that still stands at the peak of the mountain. The aforementioned theater is definitely a visual highlight, while the sheer number of buildings and monuments that still exist is a big plus over many of the other sites in Turkey. You'll usually find guides here willing to give further insight on weekends, although you could get by just bringing a picnic, some water, and your innate sense of wonder.